The Desert Cowboys
Škoda Spain
Issue 44 | September 2017
Agency
Proximity Barcelona
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer Eva Santos Creative Directors Ramon Caba, Alba Vence Creative Supervisor Anna Soler Copywriters Laura Cuni, Jordi Iglesias Art Directors David Casado, Bruno Spagnuolo, Anna de Más, Sergio Lahoz
Production Team
Production Company Lobo Kane Director Paco Caballero
Other Credits
Client Services Director Amanda Muñiz Account Director Arantza Bilbao Account Supervisor Aida Mateo Account Executive Alba Muñoz Strategic Planner Patricia Urgoiti Communications Manager Laura Carrillo
Date
July 2017
Background
Many of the most iconic spaghetti westerns were filmed in Spain's Tabernas Desert in Almería.
But when the film crews ceased to return, the villages of the region began to suffer from a lack of job opportunities, poor commercial links and a dwindling of public services.
This had huge demographic implications for the area. The number of people living there halved, leading to an ageing population and making isolation potentially a very real problem.
Idea
"The Desert Cowboys" campaign set out to publicise the issue and raise awareness of the reality villages were facing in this unique landscape.
ŠKODA's solution was two initiatives. One was to launch a free 'stagecoach' service to connect villages which did not have any public transport. The second was to get film stars involved in the issue and promoting the amazing locations available through sponsorship of the Almería Western Film Festival.
The campaign launched with a spoof western, shot on the original film-sets and starring the people who actually live there.
Additional content was to be found on ŠKODA's Facebook page and at thedesertcowboys.com, describing what life was like for the inhabitants of Almería's desert.
Results
Still too early for results.
Our Thoughts
Usually, car campaigns have only the most slender of ideas. Lots of images of cars ripping across deserts. So it is refreshing to come across a campaign as much about the desert as the car, an idea rooted in reality rather than hyperbole.
Škoda has previous in this sort of approach, setting out to keep the snowy village of Valdemares open throughout the winter. Presumably it worked well enough for them to give the idea a second run-out.
The big creative idea here then is in the strategy so many congratulations to the planner(s) involved. It is a very neat way of positioning Škoda as tough and enduring cars, even for those who will never drive anywhere other than to the supermarket. It has allowed them to create advertising that is very distinct from the run of the mill campaigns their competitors choose to run.